There is a new brand of vacuum cleaners that has come out called Halo. It is a unique machine in that it is marketed to destroy dust mite eggs, viruses, bacteria and mold.
At first glance of the new Halo model UV-ST, you will think it is another “8lb.” upright. As you get close to it, you can see that it is larger. It is more like the HOOVER Elite series upright vacuum cleaners. It is not a lightweight upright, but it is not heavy either. It carries an average weight of under 17lbs. The vacuum cleaner does have some “handle weight”. You can feel it when you lower the upright handle to the carpet cleaning position. The user will be able to feel it, eventhough it is hardly noticeable. The Riccar Supralite/Simplicity Freedom and the new Kenmore(LG) Premalite upright have virtually no weight at all, at the handle, when it is lowered. The vacuum cleaner bag also contributes to the “handle weight”, since it uses plastic supports, or ribbing, inside the cloth bag. Another factor contributing to the weight would be the onboard hose and attachments.
The Halo comes with a long stretch hose. The onboard hose is not connected to the machine, but must be connected for use. The hose connects under a spring-loaded door, located on the top, rear of the cleaning head. The suction is not super strong, but is adequate for cleaning furniture, drapes, etc.
It has a full-width cleaning path with an aggressive brushroll. I found that the Halo upright did a very good job of picking up debris from the carpeting. The vacuum cleaner should clean carpeting as well as the first day the vacuum was removed from the box, because the Halo does not use a belt to turn the brushroll. Instead, it uses a separate motor and gears to drive the brushroll. The Halo has a long 31ft. cord, so that the user does not have to stop vacuuming in order to move the cord to a different outlet.
The Halo uses a “fan-first” type of dirt transport. This means that debris is picked up by the brushing action and suction/airflow, then carried through the fan and lastly, deposited into the bag. Other systems allow the dirt to be deposited into a bag, but does not go through the fan located after the bag.
The Halo upright will sound loud to many users when they turn it on.
Halo has very good filtration, since it uses a multilayer “HEPA type” bag. The bags can be purchased in a 3pk. The package will cost you approximately $8.00.
At this point, you can see that I have not talked too much about its unique feature-the UV-C bulb. There is not too much to say, because it is quite difficult to calculate the amount, if any, of dust mite eggs, mold, etc., the UV-C bulb of the Halo vacuum cleaner has destroyed. It can better be calculated in a laboratory. The user must squeeze a trigger in the handle in order for the UV-C light to be activated underneath the machine. This is a safety feature, so that the light will not be left on, unattended. When the trigger is pressed, a blue “halo” light illuminates around the Halo name, on the cleaning head. When the trigger is released, the “halo” goes dark. In order for the special light to kill, it must be over the carpeted area for a specific time period(seconds). I believe, judging over the years of knowledge gained from studying people’s vacuum habits, that they will not be able to vacuum very, very slowly. Requires 1-5sec. For dust mites. The seconds gradually increase with other organisms like mold.
Already, reviews have mentioned how much better their homes are after purchasing the Halo upright. They can breathe better, carpets look better, carpeting feels softer, etc. Does this sound familiar? In actuality, this may not be from the UV-C chamber of the Halo, but because of the high filtration material of the disposable bag and the material in the outer bag. The appearance of the carpeting may have something to do with the aggressiveness of the brushroll bristles.
I believe that the Halo upright is expensive for a Chinese-made vacuum cleaner, that is sold in “big box” stores. Also, for an expensive vacuum cleaner, the warranty should be more than one year. Otherwise, the Halo is a very good performer. It will clean and filter well for its new owner.
Date Purchased: 00/07
Price Paid: $500
Recommend: Yes |
Pros:
Long cord
Onboard Hose and Attachments
Fingertip controls
Looped Handle
Very good filtration
Very good cleaning performance
Cogged Belt
UV-C bulb and Chamber have Lifetime Warranty
Cons:
High Price
Somewhat on the Louder Side
Only One Year Warranty
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